Provided is a method in which the rate of growth is lowered even when a cut SiC seed crystal is used in performing MSE process. A SiC seed crystal that is used as a seed crystal in metastable solvent epitaxy process (MSE process) is heated under Si atmosphere and the surface of the SiC seed crystal is etched to remove a work-affected layer that was formed by cutting. Work-affected layers generated on SiC seed crystals are known to inhibit growth during MSE process, and therefore removing the work-affected layers can prevent lowering of the rate of growth.